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On Saturday Katie competed in her first Special Olympics swim meet. It was a meet for our area which consists of 5 S.O. teams. There were about 250 young people competing that day--each athlete in 3 races. In just looking at the crowd of athletes Katie was probably one of the youngest. All the athletes in S.O. have some kind of cognitive disability. Some also have physical disabilities as well, but they can still swim and compete. Katie did a 15 m unassisted swim, a 25 m backstroke and a 25 m freestyle. She came in 3rd, 4th and 7th respectively. After each race the athletes are awarded ribbons while they stand on an Olympic style raised platform. It was quite impressive to see all these young people competing, working hard, and being recognized for their achievements. Katie and I arrived at 8:15 am to check in then waited until 10:45 am for her first race. They had a great group of volunteers on hand that day to assist all the athletes in the staging areas before and after the races.
Matt and the boys arrived at 10:30 am to see her first race. It was very thrilling to see her swim her heart out in that big pool and do so well. She was very happy with herself. Katie enjoys swimming and she has a great coach.
Coach Keanne just turned 60 on Sunday (pictured above at his birthday party with Katie and her friend, and fellow athlete, Angela) and he is full of life, energy, love and joy. He has been an athlete and coach his whole life for a variety of sports. He has worked with people with disabilities for over 40 years. At a time in life when most men are retiring, Coach Keanne works and volunteers full-time coaching, inspiring and encouraging young people with special needs to achieve in sports and fitness. Katie just loves him; all the kids do. He has a special gift with kids like Katie. He really knows how to bring out her best.
After the meet Katie and I went to get her haircut and she told everyone at the hair salon about the ribbons that she won. We did some other shopping then came home to make a quick supper. When I put Katie to bed Saturday night she said "It's been a very busy day today. I'm really tired." She was asleep almost instantly. It's so good to see her grow and achieve and feel good about herself.
My oldest son, Josh, loves to act. He was in a few Shakespeare plays at Liberty (he portrayed Romeo in their 5th grade production of Romeo and Juliet). For the past two years Josh has had speaking roles in the Christmas plays at our church. Josh's acting acumen shouldn't surprise me, as he comes by it genetically. Matt was in plays in high school and college, he took a minor in drama, and he has even written a play or two. I acted in only one play in college--"Uncommon Women," by Wendy Wasserstein--but I volunteered as costume mistress for many of the plays at Ripon. For much of our early romance Matt and I attended, read and discussed plays. We both truly loved the camaraderie of working on a play together. Especially the cast parties. With Dr. Roney's beer-basted brats. And beer. And music. And staying up all night. And brats. And beer. And . . . well, I digress.
Anyway, Josh's current school requires all its students to participate in History Day. It is a national history competition of student-designed projects, papers, documentary films, and performances. It's rather like a science fair but for history. The students must do many weeks of research, write papers, write an annotated bibliography, design (or write) their project, then give an oral defense (or presentation) of their project and answer questions from a panel of judges.
This year Josh chose to write and perform an original 10 minute skit. His topic was the Allied defense of Bastogne in WWII. For his skit he portrayed a retired WWII 101st Airborne veteran who was giving a talk to a group of college history students. He did a great job putting all the facts and first person accounts he had learned about into the composition of his script and in his presentation. He had maps to show, an authentic WWII army helmet, ammo box and grenade. His costume included a 101st Airborne cap and t-shirt (all purchased at our local Army surplus store). Josh did well bringing his character to life and competently answered the judges questions. He was able to advance to the regional History Day competition with minimal changes to his performance. In the end however, he did not advance to the State competition. He was very disappointed, but I think he's gotten over it now. I did make a video of his performance but after 5 tries I still haven't been able to upload it to blogger. So, you'll have to be satisfied with the still picture above.
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NIV
Over Easter break Josh had to write a poem and memorize it for recitation in his Language Arts class. He procrastinated all week. On Thursday we talked about some topic ideas. Surprisingly, the thing he loves the most in life he has never written about. Read aloud the poem has to be 2-3 minutes in duration. Here is Josh's original poem about our neighbor's dog--Mr. Bojangles. I think it is quite good.
The Dog by Josh Brinkman, 7th Grade 3/24/08
Wiggly,
Cute,
Slightly Stupid.
This lovable little dachshund is the original low rider.
Long and short this dog is full of life and love.
This is the dog I love.
Curious,
Lovable,
Crazy.
Ever burrowing under blankets and pillows,
Making nests in the clothesbasket.
This is the dog I love.
Walking hot dog,
Loving,
Energetic.
When she wants something this dog doesn’t bark.
She runs in circles until you notice.
When walking by she may act tough,
Barking at you,
But she is probably the nicest dog you will ever meet.
This is the dog I love.
Ever moving,
Funny,
Good for hugs.
You want her to stop?
No problem, just say “finger” and
She rolls over and puts her paws up.
This is the dog I love.
Tiny,
Brainless,
Silly.
She has a brain the size of a pea.
When you look in her eyes you can tell the lights are on but,
No one has ever been home. This dog is living proof Ignorance is bliss.
This is the dog I love.
Feisty,
Short,
Goofy.
She loves to jump and climb on things,
Furniture, people, and stairs.
This is the dog I love.
Scarfing,
Barfing,
Wheezing,
When she eats it seems she was in the army her motto is,
Eat it first, taste it later. She could eat rotten meat.
This is the dog I love
Caring,
Loving,
There,
When I’m sad she is there even,
If she doesn’t know what’s going on she still cares.
This is the dog I love.
I have told you about the dog I love.
Her name is Bojangles.
I wish she were mine.
For anyone who believes in Jesus as their Savior: while he was on earth Jesus prayed for YOU! Today, allow that fact determine your self-worth, not anything else.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-23 NIV
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs." Hebrews 1:1-4
Got this on the internet recently from a fellow Mommy. Enjoy!
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THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES
Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each, for six weeks. Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes. Times will overlap. There is no fast food.
Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean; correct all homework; complete science projects; cook; do laundry; and pay a list of "pretend" bills with not enough money. In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time. Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment and a haircut appointment.
He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care on a weekend, evening, on a holiday or right when they're about to leave for vacation.
He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function the next day that the 8 yr. old informs him of at 8:00 pm.
Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.
The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done. There is only one TV between them, and a remote with two buttons picked off and dead batteries.
Each father will be required to know all of the words to every stupid song that comes on TV and the name of each and every character on cartoons.
The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, which they will apply to themselves either while driving or making three lunches.
Each man will have to make an Indian hut model with: six toothpicks, a tortilla and one marker; and get a 4 year old to eat a serving of peas.
Each man must adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable, yet stylish, shoes, keep their nails polished and eyebrows groomed. The men must try to get through each day without snot, spit-up, pee, or barf on their clothing.
During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties. They must try to explain what a tampon is for when the 6-yr old boy finds it in their purse.
They must attend weekly school meetings, Sunday morning church, mid-week church activities, and find time at least once each week to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
He will need to read a book and then pray with the children each night without falling asleep, and then feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair each morning by 7:00 am. They must leave the home with no food on their face or clothes.They must clean up after their sick children at 2:00 a.m. and then spend the remainder of the day tending to that child and waiting on them hand and foot until they are better. They must have a loving, age-appropriate reply to, "You're not the boss of me."
A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, current height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor. Also each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.
The kids vote the fathers off the island based on performance.
The last man wins, only if . . . he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.
If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again, for the next 18-25 years, eventually earning the right to be called . . . Mom!
"I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
I am encouraging myself with this verse today.
As I sit to write I don't even know where this will end up. It's been an interesting six weeks off from blogging. My first day no blogging was definitely difficult. I was constantly thinking about my blog and was tempted innumerable times those first few days to jump on my site "just for a sec" but I didn't do it.
So what have I been doing for the past six weeks? Well, lots of reading and exercising. My friend sent me three boxes of books and CD's about early christian practices, the history of the Catholic church, Catholic doctrine and beliefs, and testimonial books about Evangelical Christians turned Catholic. Is she trying to convert me? Yes. Do I have a problem with that? No. I am open to learning more about the roots of my Christian faith and the Catholic church is undeniably a part of that root system.
My next door neighbor is taking steps back to the Orthodox faith he was baptized into as a child. So he has also loaned me some reading material on the Orthodox faith. I'm looking at everything and trying to figure out for myself what the early church of Jesus Christ actually taught and practiced, what was handed down over the centuries and where things went wrong to result in this totally splintered, shattered mess of American Christianity that we have now. I've become weary of having to alter my theology with every new church we attend. The basics haven't been different, but the practice of the faith and what is deemed as important to do on a daily basis has differed significantly. That has caused me great confusion and insecurity about whether or not I'm living in the "right" way.
Anyway, I've become discouraged that my daily walk with the Lord isn't as fruitful and impacting as I want it to be and feel it should be. So, I'm choosing to learn some things about the non-protestant side of the faith to see if maybe I'm missing something in my belief system or practice. Some people who know me well may "freak out" a bit about me investigating Catholicism but I'm not afraid of learning. So far, I would have to say that much of what I thought I knew about the Catholic church was wrong. I had been taught wrong things about their doctrine and practice. Most of what I've read so far seems very biblical and reasonable.
Where is all this investigating going to lead? I'm not sure. I don't foresee our whole family uprooting our faith expression and joining a Catholic or Orthodox church. But perhaps as I progress on this journey I may feel the need to add a weekly service that I just attend at one of these churches. I don't know. Right now I'm just reading and learning. And no, dh doesn't have a problem with me reading all this material.
As for blogging, I'm still not sure what I'll be doing with my blog. I may just post occasionally when I really feel the need to write, but I'm not even sure I want to do that. Stay tuned, I guess.
